People are on the move, and they’re taking their smartphones and tablets with them. So much so that in 2014, mobile Internet use surpassed desktop for the first time.

The rise in mobile use will only continue, and advertisers are paying attention. In a prediction of digital trends issued in late 2014, eMarketer said during 2015, spending on mobile search advertising will make up half of all digital search ad spending. And by 2018, three of every four dollars spent on digital advertising will flow to mobile.

How Users Interact With Content

With so many smartphones in use around the globe, mobile has become an important business tool for lead generation, conversion and sales. To leverage it successfully, developers need to pay attention to how users interact with content on desktops versus mobile devices.

For example, a consumer might use a desktop PC to compare local car dealers’ prices and inventories on a certain vehicle. Once they’re on a mobile device, they’re more likely to search for a dealership’s business hours and directions to its location. Taking these different needs into account should naturally lead to distinct navigation on each platform, making it easy for consumers to find what they need on each device. Such ease of use can lead to higher conversion rates.

Apps Dominate Mobile Usage

When a consumer uses a smartphone to buy groceries, do some banking or listen to music, studies show they’re most likely going to pull up an app, not a website.

In 2014, Nielsen reported that smartphone users spent 89% of their mobile media time using apps, for an average of 30 hours per month. Regardless of what you’re selling – recipes, sports news, games or maps – it’s clear that mobile apps are vital to brands that want to create long-term relationships with their customers.

It’s always been true that businesses that fail to cater to consumer preferences lose potential revenue – whether they’re pushing out the wrong product or missing out on mobile consumers. Likewise, developers who lack the skills to program mobile apps are missing out on big opportunities.

Mobile App Developers Are in Demand

As companies move to fulfill the seemingly boundless consumer appetite for mobile apps for tablets and smartphones, IT organizations are experiencing shortages of skilled developers who are qualified to build those apps, a July 2013 Forbes article said.

The shortage of developers extends beyond IT companies into consumer-centric areas such as retail and hospitality, the article said.

In this climate, computer specialists who can program for mobile apps are seeing unprecedented opportunities. Here are a few of the in-demand skills IT companies seek that can help you keep up with the marketplace:

Get the Skills to Land a Job in Mobile App Development

Consumers have fully embraced mobile search and are accessing apps like never before – and this trend shows no sign of stopping.

If you’re a computer programmer, or are interested in a career in information technology, it can be helpful to make sure your resume includes mobile app development skills. Enrolling in a computer information systems degree program is a great first step toward building the foundation you’ll need for a satisfying and rewarding software development career.